A digital platform which maps out infrastructure requirements across London would reduce delays to housing development and help the city plan for net zero and economic recovery, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
In a new report with the Greater London Authority (GLA), Planning for critical infrastructure in London, the Institute found that local authorities do not have the tools to effectively plan for energy, water and digital needs. This leads to numerous challenges when attempting to coordinate investment in utilities, such as unexpected costs and long lead times, which translate into unnecessary disruption and delays to housing delivery.
The report also calls for clarification on the role of planning in delivering national infrastructure objectives and stable funding for infrastructure planning and coordination.
James Harris, policy and networks manager at the RTPI, who wrote the report after working directly with the GLA Infrastructure Team, said: “The scale and pace of growth in London puts enormous pressure on utility infrastructure, especially in Opportunity Areas designated for major growth.
“The GLA and a number of London boroughs have already found innovative ways to overcome these barriers, and we need to scale this up. Our joint recommendations would not only support London, but help city-regions across England as they plan for sustainable growth and net zero.”
The GLA and RTPI have also produced a handbook describing how local planning and development management can help coordinate utility infrastructure.
London’s Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe CBE, said: “Energy, water and digital infrastructure are essential parts of the Mayor’s ambitions for growth in the new London Plan. It is vital that our planning system works effectively to ensure London’s infrastructure needs are met and to support sustainable growth across the capital.
“That is why I’m delighted to be launching this policy paper in partnership with the RTPI to promote the key role infrastructure plays in place-making and unlocking new housing in London, whilst also identifying opportunities for change.
“I would urge the government to implement the report’s four recommendations and to proactively work with the GLA and the London boroughs to better align the delivery of infrastructure and development through our planning system.”
This work builds on the RTPI report A Smarter Approach to Infrastructure Planning, published in 2019, which called for an infrastructure-first approach.
The government is due to publish a National Infrastructure Strategy later this year.
